Blake Shinn’s first ride back a winner

Blake Shinn put on a polished display aboard Dawn Passage in the day’s first race at Randwick.

After being sidelined for five months recovering from a serious neck injury, Blake Shinn has made a triumphant and emotional return to race riding at Randwick.

Shinn jumped aboard the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained two-year-old debutant Dawn Passage in Saturday’s opening event over 1000m and both horse and rider gave a polished display.

“It’s very special,” Shinn said.

“It’s been a long road back. I’ve done a lot work and I’ve had a lot of support.

“I believe in fate and it was like I had someone riding with me.

“It’s great to be back.”

Dawn Passage ($8.50) came from back in the field to assume control in the straight, with Aussie ($5) 3-1/4 lengths astern.

Bivouac ($14) was another half-neck third while the favourite Espaaniyah ($3.30) weakened after being on the pace to finish eighth.

Shinn said he and Waterhouse had talked tactics before the race and it worked out as planned.

“Gai and I talked about how to ride him,” he said.

“I got on the back of Christian Reith (Bivouac) and my horse was always going well.

“Once he got into the clear I knew I had the horse to finish it off.”

Waterhouse said the colt would head to the $2 million Inglis Millennium in two weeks at Warwick Farm for graduates of the sponsor’s sales.

Dawn Passage cost $150,000 at last year’s Premier sale in Melbourne and Waterhouse extolled the benefits of syndication.

“He is a lovely colt,” Waterhouse said.

“There are a lot of first-time owners in him and they will have a lot of fun.

“This would only happen in Australia. It’s a great country we live in.”